Your validity window starts when the eSIM first connects to a network in Costa Rica, not when you buy it — so you can install it before you fly and it only begins on arrival.
Will my phone work in Costa Rica?⌄
You need an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone (iPhone XR+, Pixel 3+, recent Samsung Galaxy). Check the compatibility page before you buy — and if it turns out your phone can’t use it, you get a full refund since nothing was installed.
Can I keep my number and WhatsApp in Costa Rica?⌄
Yes. Your vigxo plan is data-only, so your primary SIM stays active for calls, texts and your usual number. WhatsApp, iMessage and all your apps keep working over the eSIM data.
What if I run out of data in Costa Rica?⌄
If your plan supports it, you can top up an active eSIM in seconds from your dashboard — no reinstall needed. Otherwise just buy another plan; it stacks onto your eSIM.
How do refunds work?⌄
Full refund any time before installation, up to 120 days from purchase. Once an eSIM is installed the data is released to you, so it can’t be refunded after that.
Setup
Land in Costa Rica already connected
Set up your eSIM before you travel — it takes about a minute. Scan once, switch it on when you arrive, and you’re online.
On iPhone (iOS)
1After purchase, open the confirmation email and tap the install link — the eSIM adds itself (iOS 17.4+). Older iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → scan the QR from the same email.
2Label the plan (e.g. “vigxo travel”) and set your home line to keep calls/SMS.
3Turn on Data Roaming for the vigxo line — this uses the local partner network, not your home carrier.
On Android
1Tap the Android install link in your email (recent Android) — or Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add eSIM and scan the QR.
2Download the profile and set vigxo as your Mobile data line.
What you can actually buy for Costa Rica
6 plans for Costa Rica, from 3 to 20 GB. Validity runs from 1 day to 30 days. 6 of them run on 5G where the local network has it.
5 plans can be topped up without installing a second eSIM. Plans run on Claro.
Counted from our live catalogue, not a marketing figure — the plan list above this section is the same data.
Regional plans that also cover Costa Rica
No regional bundle covers Costa Rica — a single-country plan is the only option here, which is usually the cheaper one anyway.
How eSIMs work in Costa Rica
A travel eSIM for Costa Rica is a digital SIM your phone downloads — no plastic card, no airport pickup counter. You buy online, tap the install link we email you (a QR code is included too), and it installs a second line alongside your existing SIM. It stays dormant until you arrive in Costa Rica, then connects automatically to Claro on 5G where available and LTE everywhere else. Your home number keeps working for calls and texts; the eSIM simply carries your data.
How much data do you need in Costa Rica?
Maps, messaging and rideshare apps are light — roughly 300–500 MB a day. Add photos, social and the occasional video and you’re closer to 1 GB a day. For a one-week trip a 5 GB plan is comfortable; for two weeks, sharing, or heavy use, choose 10 GB or more, or a reloadable plan you can top up on the go. Costa Rica plans start at $14.99 across 4 sizes, with the per-GB price shown on every one so the right choice is obvious.
Will you pay roaming charges in Costa Rica?
No. A travel eSIM for Costa Rica is a local data plan, not international roaming — you pay the price you see up front, with no per-megabyte bill from your home carrier. Set the eSIM as your data line and switch data roaming off on your home SIM, and there are no surprises when you get home. Full refund any time before you install, so there’s no risk in buying ahead.
Setting up your Costa Rica eSIM
1. Buy a plan — your install link and QR code arrive by email within seconds.
3
Enable Roaming for the vigxo line so it connects to the local network on arrival.
Good to know
•Works on eSIM-capable phones (iPhone XS+, Pixel 3+, recent Samsung Galaxy S/Note/Z). Older or carrier-locked phones may not support eSIM.
•Install before you fly on Wi‑Fi — you only need to enable it when you land, no signal required to set up.
•Data-only plans: keep your home SIM active for calls and texts. Use WhatsApp/FaceTime over data.
•Prices are final at checkout. Full refund any time before you install the eSIM.
2. While you’re still on Wi-Fi before you fly, tap the install link in your confirmation email — or open Settings → Cellular/Mobile Data → Add eSIM and scan the QR.
3. Land in Costa Rica, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line, and you’re online in about a minute.
Costa Rica connectivity guide
Costa Rica is, on paper, one of the easiest places in the Americas to buy a local SIM: a couple of dollars for the chip, passport registration at the counter, no biometrics. In practice the arrival has two traps — airport kiosks with a reputation for failed activations, and data that silently refuses to flow until an APN setting is fixed by hand. The best eSIM for Costa Rica is one installed and tested at home, before either trap can cost you your first morning. This guide covers the networks, the kiosk problem, coverage in the parks, and what a trip consumes.
